Combined dirt scraper and brush for shoes

ABSTRACT

Shoe scraper which can be mounted in an open recess in the bottom of a car door. The scraper is movable between a retracted, folded position, in which it is contained in the recess, and an unfolded position, in which a scraper blade or cleaning element is disposed below and spaced from the bottom of the door, generally parallel to the plane thereof.

United States Patent 1151 3,659,303 Schroder et a1. 14 1 May 2, 1972 g [5 COMBINED DIRT SCRAPER AND 1 References Cited BRUSH FOR SHOES UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] Inventors: Hermann Schroder, Langenberg, Rhine- 1,526,233 2/1925 Rance, Sr. ..15/ 1 12 land; Ralf Biedron, Bochum-Linden, both 2,755,102 7/1956 Gerdes .280/ 164 A ofGermany 2,818,594 1/1958 Dawkinsm. ..15/237 [73} Assignee: Colsman 8: Kirschner, Essen-Kupferdreh, ,097,388 7/1963 Gresko ..15/237 Germany 3,165,334 1/1965 Barrett 237 x [22] Filed: Sept. 14, 1970 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 595,279 4/1934 Germany ..15/237 [2]] A M 72,063 492,910 4/1954 Italy ..280/164 A 1,137,967 10/1962 Germany ..280 164 A Related US. Application Data {63] Continuation of Ser. NO. 796,306, Jan. 30, 1969, ''-F" Machli" abandoned AltorneyBurgess, Dlnklage & Sprung Foreign Application Priority Data ABSTRACT Feb. 1, 1968 Germany ..P 16 002.5 oe crape which can be mounted in 'an open recess in the bottom of a car door. The scraper is movable between a [52] U.S.Cl ..15/112, 296/152 retracted, folded position, in which it is contained in the [51] Int. Cl. ..B60r 27/00 recess, and an unfolded position, in which a scraper blade or Field f t 1 280/164 cleaning element is disposed below and spaced from the bottom of the door, generally parallel to the plane thereof.

16 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 2 I972 3,659. 303

, INVENTQRS 21 2o HERMANN scundom I 18 BY RALF BIEDRON AT TORNE YS 1 COMBINED DIRT SCRAPER AND BRUSH FOR SHOES RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 796,309, filed Jan. 30, 1969 now abandoned.

This invention relates to a dirt scraper for shoes that can be unfolded from a housing affixed to a car door.

Such dirt scrapers are known. In the case of a known dirt scraper of this type (U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,594) There is provided in the inside panel of a car doorta recess for the dirt scraper. The dirt scraper is designed in the form of a wiper matthat can be folded out at one side around a horizontal shaft situated in the door from its position in the door into the operating position. Disadvantages of this known device are, on the one hand, the very costly installation of the dirt scraper in the door and, on the other, that the dirt scraper is disposed on one side by the door. This limitation constitutes a hindrance for the scraping off of the shoes in view of the fact that the shoe can easily strike the door and soil it and, on the other hand, with the door opened the dirt scraper is in a position with respect to the carseat making it troublesome if not impossible, to scrape ofi the shoes while sitting on the seat.

Moreover, there is known a dirt scraper consisting of a U- shaped yoke mounted for folding out at the inside of the door. The ends of the U-shaped yoke, which assumes a horizontal plane in its operating position, are borne by shafts horizontal to the door area 'and mounted in elbow-shaped elements. A drawback of this dirt scraper is that it is exposed and that it can therefore readily soil the clothing of the passengers of the car.

However, this dirt scraper, even though it is of rather simple design, can hardly be covered by a housing which, on account of the room needed for the folding out of the yoke, would require too much space. Another drawback resides in the fact that the dirt scraper is at door level, which hinders the dirt scraping of the shoes. I

It is an object of the invention to create a dirt scraper for shoes that can readily be attached to a car door, has low space requirements, and at'which one can comfortably scrape off the dirt from the shoes in various, including the seated, position without soiling the door in the process. Moreover, dirt that may adhere to the dirt scraper shall, following the closing of the door, not be able to soil the passengers clothing likely to hang down at the sides of the seats.

In accordance with the invention, in the case of a dirt scraper for shoes that can be folded out from a housing mounted on a car door this problem is solved in that a main arm, downwardly pivotable around a stationary shaft arranged perpendicular to the door area, carries at its end opposite the shaft a scraper blade pivotable around a shaft substantially parallel to the aforementioned shaft into a substantially horizontal position beneath the lower door edge. The dirt scraper according to the invention does not require much space. In its folded position following the closing of the door it is covered by the door frame and is unable to soil clothing likely to be hanging down at the sides of the seats. In view of the fact that the dirt scraper is exposed after being unfolded, the car passenger can comfortably scrape .off his shoes on the dirt scraper from a seated position without soiling the inside door area in the process.

. with either a scraper blade or the brush in a disposition for Preferably, the main arm cooperates with a guide arm hav- I ing one end pivotally mounted in a stationary shaft at the car door or at a mounting plate secured to the car door and the other end pivotally joined to a support member for the scraper blade. The main arm and guide arm can be mounted at their ends on parallel shafts, which are generally perpendicular to the plane of the car door. The main arm and the guide arm can be disposed parallel to and adjacent one another, but can also cross one another. The position of the main arm with respect to the guide arm determines the swinging direction for the folding or unfolding.

To facilitate the folding and unfolding of the dirt scraper and for maintaining of the dirt scraper in the folded and unfolded positions, the dirt scraper is preferably provided with a spring or the like, one end of which is secured to the car door or the mounting plate, and the other end of which is secured to the parallel guide composed of the main and guide arms, in such a way that it urges the parallel guide, in a partially unfolded position, to the folded position, whereas it urges the parallel guide into the unfolded position in the near and completely unfolded positions. Thus, the spring urges the parallel guide in the folded and unfolded condition against stops provided for the two positions. When the dirt scraper is to be unfolded, it must be unfolded manually or by foot by overcoming the bias of the spring to the end of a first unfolding segment. The moment a second unfolding segment is entered, the spring urges the dirt' scraper up to the stop forthe unfolded position. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a tension spring crosses the fulcrum of the parallel guide when unfolding and folding and is attached to a fastening point at the car door or at the mounting plate, as well as to a fastening point on the parallel guide. 1

To be able to remove even fine dirt from crevices and grooves of the shoe, one side of the scraper member can be designed as a brush. To facilitate cleaning, the scraper member may also be rotatable into locked positions in a support member against the bias of a spring, providing the scraper use.

Ifthe dirt scraper is attached to the inside panel of the door, another proposal of the invention is to install the shoe scraper in a box open at its lower end and having a lateral slot for a hand or foot button attached-to the parallel guide. The shoe scraper is unfolded by means of the hand or foot button. Such a hand or foot button can of course be provided also on a shoe scraper installed in a car door. I 1

Thus, the invention provides a. dirt scraper assembly 7 for shoes for mounting on an automobile car door for shifting between a retracted position in whichtlie scraper assembly. is housed in a recess adjacent the bottom of the car door and a working position in which the scraper assembly is disposed for scraping service. The assembly comprises a first shaft for stationary mounting on the car door, generally perpendicular to the plane of the door; a main scraper mounting arm having one end thereof pivotally mounted on said first shaft, for movement between the retracted position and the working position; a second shaft mounted in the other end of said main arm, disposed substantially parallel tosaid first shaft; a scraper blade member pivotally mounted on said second shaft for movement between a working position in which it is generally parallel to the plane of the door, therebeneath, and spaced therefrom, accessible for scraping of the shoes, and a stored position in which it is disposed generally parallel andalongside the main arm; and guide means for moving the scraper blade from the working position to the stored position and vice versa, when said main arm is shifted, respectively, from its working position to its retracted position, and vice versa.

The guide means may comprise a guide arm disposed generally parallel to said main arm. The assembly further includes a third shaft for stationary mounting on the car door, and a fourth shaft mounted on said scraper blade member. One end of the guide arm is pivotally mounted on the third shaft, and the other end of the guide arm is pivotally mounted on the fourth shaft.

The invention is described hereinafter in greater detail by means of a drawing representing an exemplified embodiment and in which:

FIG. I is a front, elevation view of a shoe scraper in the working position, and

FIG. 2 is a side, partially sectional view of the shoe scraper FIG. 1, viewing FIG. 1 from the left side.

The shoe scraper assembly represented in the drawing is mounted on a car door 31 having a recess 23. It includes an elongated scraper blade member 30 including a scraper blade 1 attached to an articulated parallel-glide 2, 3, 4. The articulated parallel guide comprises a main arm 2, a guide arm 3,

and a blade support holder 4. The main arm 2 and the guide arm 3 are secured, rotatable around the shafts 6, 7 (first shaft 6; third shaft 7), to the mounting plate 5. Whereas the guide arm 3 rests directly on the mounting plate 5, a spacer element 8 is disposed between the main arm 2 and the mounting plate 5, the spacer element 8 being of such a thickness that the main arm 2 can, during the retracting operation, glide over the guide arm 3. A retaining means is provided for holding the assembly respectively in the retracted and working positions. It includes a tension spring 9, affixed to a pin 10 secured to the mounting plate 5 and a pin 11 secured to the arm 2. ln operation the spring pivots about pin 10, and crosses over the shaft The guide arm 3 is disposed generally parallel to the main arm 2. The scraper blade member 30 is pivotally mounted on the lower end of the guide arm 3 via shaft 24 (fourth shaft).

At the pivoted ends of the main arm 2 and the guide arm 3, the blade support holder 4 is rotatably inserted between two forked discs 12, 13 of the main arm 2. The scraper blade member is pivotally mounted on the outer end of main arm 2, via shaft 14 (third shaft). A hand and foot button 15 is attached to shaft 14, which extends through the blade support holder 4 and the two discs 12, 13. In a bore 16 of the blade support holder 4 there is inserted a pin 17 of the elongated scraper blade member 30. The scraper blade member 30 has at one side a smooth edge 18, forming the scraper 1, and a brush 19 at its opposite side. The pin 17 is rotatable into lock positions in the bore 16 against the bias of a spring 20. The lock positions are determined by a pin 21 secured to the pin 17 and by corresponding notches in the blade support holder 4 The folding and unfolding operation of the dirt scraper takes place as follows. The dirt scraper illustrated in the drawing in its folded-out position is pulled by the tension spring 9 against the stop 22. If the dirt scraper is now to be folded, the parallel guide 2, 3, 4 is swung together with the scraper blade member 30 in the direction of the arrow A. During this swinging movement, the scraper blade member 30 is rotated clockwise around the shaft 14 so that it assumes in the recess 23 in car door 31 a position parallel to the main arm 2 when the parallel guide 2, 3, 4 is folded in. In the process, the swinging movement has to be performed by hand only initially. As soon as the axis of the spring 9 is located to the left of the shaft 6 of the main arm 2, as viewed in the drawing, the further swinging of the parallel guide 2, 3, 4 into the completely folded-in position is caused by the spring 9. The unfolding of the dirt scraper is carried out in correspondingly reverse sequence. The initial movement of the blade support member 30, in folding, is upward.

What is claimed is:

1. Dirt scraper assembly for shoes for mounting on an automobile car door for shifting between a retracted position in which the scraper assembly is housed in a recess adjacent the bottom of the car door and a working position in which the scraper assembly is disposed for scraping service comprising:

a. a first shaft for stationary mounting on the car door generally perpendicular to the plane of the door,

b. a main scraper mounting arm having one end thereof pivotally mounted on said first shaft, for movement between the retracted position and the working position,

c. a second shaft mounted in the other end of said main arm,

disposed substantially parallel to said first shaft,

(1. a scraper blade member pivotally mounted on said second shaft for movement between a working position in which it is generally parallel to the plane of the door, therebeneath, and spaced therefrom, accessible for scraping of the shoes, and a stored position in which it is disposed generally parallel to and alongside the main arm, and

e. guide means for moving the scraper blade from the working position to the stored position andvice versa when said main arm is shifted, respectively, from its working position to its retracted position and vice versa.

4 2. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 1, said guide means comprising a guide, arm disposed generally parallel to said main arm, said assembly further comprising a third shaft for stationary mounting on the car door, a fourth shaft mounted on said scraper blade member, one end of the guide arm being pivotally mounted on the third shaft, the other end of the guide arm being pivotally mounted on the fourth shaft.

3. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 2, and retaining means'for holding the assembly respectively in the retracted and working position, including a spring having one end thereof mounted on said assembly, the other end thereof being for stationary mounting on the car door, the spring pivoting about its stationary mounting upon movement of the assembly upon said shifting thereof.

4. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 3, said one end of the spring being mounted on said 'main arm, the spring crossing over said first shaft upon said pivoting thereof.

5. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 4, said scraper blade member comprising a scraper blade and a brush.

6. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 4, said scraper blade member comprising an elongated blade support having a scraper blade mounted longitudinally along one side thereof and a brush mounted longitudinally along another side thereof, a blade support holder in which the blade support is mounted, said pivot mounting of the blade support member on said second shaft being via said blade support holder, and means for permitting selectively moving the blade support to dispose the scraper blade or brush upwardly for scraping of the shoes thereon, and retaining means for securing the blade support in the selected position.

7. Dirt scraper assembly accordingto claim 1, said scraper blade member in moving from said working position to said stored position, initially moving upwardly.

8. In combination with an automobile car door, a dirt scraper assembly for shoes mounted in a recess adjacent the bottom of the car door for shifting between a retracted position in which the scraper assembly is housed in the recess and a working position in which the scraper assembly is disposed for scraping service, said combination further comprising:

a. a first shaft stationarily mounted on the door generally perpendicular to the plane of the door,

b. a main scraper mounting arm having one end thereof pivotally mounted on said first shaft, for movement between the retracted position and the working position,

c. a second shaft mounted in the other end of said main arm,

disposed substantially parallel to said first shaft,

d. a scraper blade member pivotally mounted on said second shaft for movement between a working position in which it is generally parallel to the plane of the door, therebeneath, and spaced therefrom, accessible for scraping of the shoes, and a stored position in which it is disposed generally parallel to and alongside the main arm, and

e. guide means for moving the scraper blade from the working position to the stored position and vice versa when said main arm is shifted, respectively, from its working position to its retracted position and vice versa.

9. Combination according to claim 8, said guide means comprising a guide arm disposed generally parallel to said main arm, said assembly further comprising a third shaft for stationary mounting on the car door, a fourth shaft mounted on said scraper blade member, one end of the guide arm being pivotally mounted on the third shaft, the other end of the guide arm being pivotally mounted on the fourth shaft.

10. Combination according to claim 9, and retaining means for holding the assembly respectively in the retracted and working position, including a spring having one end thereof mounted on said assembly, the other end thereof being stationarily mounted on the car door, the spring pivoting about its stationary mounting upon movement of the assembly upon said shifting thereof.

11. Combination according to claim 10, said one end of the spring being mounted on said main arm, the spring crossing over said first shaft upon said pivoting thereof.

l2. Combination according to claim 11, said scraper blade member comprising a scraper blade and a brush. 13, Combination according to claim 11, said scraper blade member comprising an elongated blade support having a scraper blade mounted longitudinally along one side thereof and a brush mounted longitudinally along another side thereof, a blade support holder in which the blade support is mounted, said pivot mounting of the blade support member on said second shaft being via said blade support holder, and means for pennitting selectively moving the blade support to dispose the scraper blade or brush upwardly for scraping of the shoes thereon, and retaining means for securing the blade support in the selected position.

14. Combination according to claim 8, said scraper blade member in moving from said working position to said stored position, initially moving upwardly.

15. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 1, said recess being in the bottom of the car door.

16. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 8, said recess being in the bottom of the car door. 

1. Dirt scraper assembly for shoes for mounting on an automobile car door for shifting between a retracted position in which the scraper assembly is housed in a recess adjacent the bottom of the car door and a working position in which the scraper assembly is disposed for scraping service comprising: a. a first shaft for stationary mounting on the car door generally perpendicular to the plane of the door, b. a main scraper mounting arm having one end thereof pivotally mounted on said first shaft, for movement between the retracted position and the working position, c. a second shaft mounted in the other end of said main arm, disposed substantially parallel to said first shaft, d. a scraper blade member pivotally mounted on said second shaft for movement between a working position in which it is generally parallel to the plane of the door, therebeneath, and spaced therefrom, accessible for scraping of the shoes, and a stored position in which it is disposed generally parallel to and alongside the main arm, and e. guide means for moving the scraper blade from the working position to the stored position and vice versa when said main arm is shifted, respectively, from its working position to its retracted position and vice versa.
 2. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 1, said guide means comprising a guide arm disposed generally parallel to said main arm, said assembly further comprising a third shaft for stationary mounting on the car door, a fourth shaft mounted on said scraper blade member, one end of the guide arm being pivotally mounted on the third shaft, the other end of the guide arm being pivotally mounted on the fourth shaft.
 3. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 2, and retaining means for holding the assembly respectively in the retracted and working position, including a spring having one end thereof mounted on said assembly, the other end thereof being for stationary mounting on the car door, the spring pivoting about its stationary mounting upon movement of the assembly upon said shifting thereof.
 4. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 3, said one end of the spring being mounted on said main arm, the spring crossing over said first shaft upon said pivoting thereof.
 5. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 4, said scraper blade member comprising a scraper blade and a brush.
 6. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 4, said scraper blade member comprising an elongated blade support having a scraper blade mounted longitudinally along one side thereof and a brush mounted longitudinally along another side thereof, a blade support holder in which the blade support is mounted, said pivot mounting of the blade support member on said second shaft being via said blade support holder, and means for permitting selectively moving the blade support to dispose the scraper blade or brush upwardly for scraping of the shoes thereon, and retaining means for securing the blade support in the selected position.
 7. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 1, said scraper blade member in moving from said working position to said stored position, initially moving upwardly.
 8. In combination with an automobile car door, a dirt scraper assembly for shoes mounted in a recess adjacent the bottom of the car door for shifting between a retracted position in which the scraper assembly is housed in the recess and a working position in which the scraper assembly is disposed for scraping service, said combination further comprising: a. a first shaft stationarily mounted on the door generally perpendicular to the plane of the door, b. a main scraper mountIng arm having one end thereof pivotally mounted on said first shaft, for movement between the retracted position and the working position, c. a second shaft mounted in the other end of said main arm, disposed substantially parallel to said first shaft, d. a scraper blade member pivotally mounted on said second shaft for movement between a working position in which it is generally parallel to the plane of the door, therebeneath, and spaced therefrom, accessible for scraping of the shoes, and a stored position in which it is disposed generally parallel to and alongside the main arm, and e. guide means for moving the scraper blade from the working position to the stored position and vice versa when said main arm is shifted, respectively, from its working position to its retracted position and vice versa.
 9. Combination according to claim 8, said guide means comprising a guide arm disposed generally parallel to said main arm, said assembly further comprising a third shaft for stationary mounting on the car door, a fourth shaft mounted on said scraper blade member, one end of the guide arm being pivotally mounted on the third shaft, the other end of the guide arm being pivotally mounted on the fourth shaft.
 10. Combination according to claim 9, and retaining means for holding the assembly respectively in the retracted and working position, including a spring having one end thereof mounted on said assembly, the other end thereof being stationarily mounted on the car door, the spring pivoting about its stationary mounting upon movement of the assembly upon said shifting thereof.
 11. Combination according to claim 10, said one end of the spring being mounted on said main arm, the spring crossing over said first shaft upon said pivoting thereof.
 12. Combination according to claim 11, said scraper blade member comprising a scraper blade and a brush.
 13. Combination according to claim 11, said scraper blade member comprising an elongated blade support having a scraper blade mounted longitudinally along one side thereof and a brush mounted longitudinally along another side thereof, a blade support holder in which the blade support is mounted, said pivot mounting of the blade support member on said second shaft being via said blade support holder, and means for permitting selectively moving the blade support to dispose the scraper blade or brush upwardly for scraping of the shoes thereon, and retaining means for securing the blade support in the selected position.
 14. Combination according to claim 8, said scraper blade member in moving from said working position to said stored position, initially moving upwardly.
 15. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 1, said recess being in the bottom of the car door.
 16. Dirt scraper assembly according to claim 8, said recess being in the bottom of the car door. 